Maya M . Khanna, PhD

Department

Psychological Science

Position

Professor

Books

• Promoting Student Engagement
  Khanna, Maya M. Adolescent and adult development: Designing a retirement and care plan for older adults, p. 15-19 2011
• Promoting Student Engagement
  Khanna, Maya M. Community service engagement: How our students benefit from this service and how to encourage them to pursue community service., p. 41-45 2011
• Developing, Promoting, and Sustaining the Undergraduate Research Experience in Psychology
  Khanna, M. M. Engaging Students in Community-Based Research, p. 156-161 2008

Articles

• Psychology Learning & Teaching
  Bernstein, D. A., Uttle, B., Cameron, E. L, Herold, D., Khanna, M. M., ... McGee, J. Harnessing the power of introductory psychology to combat misconceptions about psychology.
  24, p. 134-158 2025
• Brain Sciences
  Khanna, M. M., Guenther CL, Eckerson JM, Talamante D, Yeh ME, Forby M, Hopkins K, Munger E, Rauh G, Chelluri S, Schmidt C, Walocha I, Sacco M. Brain Sciences - Vigorous Exercise Enhances Verbal Fluency Performance in Healthy Young Adults. (2025).15(1):96. doi: 10.3390/brainsci15010096. PMID: 39851463; PMCID: PMC11763765. 2025
• Discover Psychology
  Khormaei, F., Kamari, Songhorabadi, S. & Khanna, Maya M. Discover Psychology - Development and validation of the academic hope scale (AcHS) for students. Discov Psychol 4, 187 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-024-00296-2
  4 2024
• Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
  Khanna, Maya M., Cortese MJ, Hughes K, Anderson K Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology - Khanna MM, Cortese MJ, Hughes K, Anderson K. Spelling monosyllabic English words. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove). 2024 Apr;77(4):729-746. doi: 10.1177/17470218231178507. Epub 2023 Jun 8. PMID: 37211676. 2024
• Ebsco Information Services
  Khanna, M. M., Using Cognitive Science to Improve Pedagogical Practice. EBSCO information services. 2023
• International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship
  Flott, E., Manz, J., Beiermann, T., Ball, S. J., & Khanna, M. M. Supporting the transition to practice: Preceptor behaviors that foster a positive student preceptor experience.
  19(1), p. 1-10 2022
• Ebsco Information Services
  Khanna, M. M., Cortese, M. J A Student’s guide to using megastudy data for research projects and data analyses 2022
• Memory
  Cortese, M. J., Khanna, M. M. Relating emotional variables to recognition memory performance: A large-scale re-analysis of megastudy data
  30(7), p. 915-922 2022
• Ebsco Information Services
  Cortese, M. J., Khanna, M. M. An Overview of the megastudy method in experimental psychology. 2022
• Teaching of Psychology
  Budesheim, T. L. , Khanna, M. M., Earl, A. K., & Guenther, C. L., The Long-term impact of undergraduate internships and research experience in psychology: An Alumni survey study 2021
• Memory
  Khanna, M. M. , Cortese, M. J How well imageability, concreteness, perceptual strength, and action strength predict recognition memory, lexical decision, and reading aloud performance
  29(11), p. 1-15 2021
• International Handbook of Psychology Learning and Teaching
  Khanna, M. M., Cortese, M. J General Psychology - Memory and Cognition: Topics, Methods, and Research-Based Strategies for Teaching Cognition 2021
• Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
  Cortese, M. J., Toppi*, S., Santo, J. & Khanna, M. M. (accepted). AoA Effects in Reading Aloud and Lexical Decision: Locating the (Semantic) Locus in Terms of the Number Backward Semantic Associations. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology  2020
• Ebsco Information Services
  Khanna, M. M. (in Press). Using Cognitive Science to Improve  Pedagogical Practice. Ebsco Information Services 2020
• Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
  Cortese, M. J., Von Nordheim*, D., & Khanna, M. M. (in press). Word length negatively predicts recognition memory performance. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology.  2020
• Cognition & Emotion
  Earl, A. K. K, Robinson*, A. M., Mills, M. S., Khanna, M. M., Bar-Haim, Y., & Badura-Brack, A. S. (In Press). Attention bias variability and posttraumatic stress symptoms: The mediating role of emotion regulation difficulties. Cognition and Emotion, DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2020.1743235. 
  DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2020.1743235. 2020
• Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience
  Badura Brack, A. S., Earl, A. K., Stephen, J., Mills, M. S., Khanna, M. M., Embury*, C., Calhoun, V. D., Wang, Y. P., & Wilson, T. W. (2020). Hippocampal and Parahippocampal Volumes Vary by sex and traumatic life events in children. Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience. DOI: 10.1503/jpn.190013. 
  DOI: 10.1503/jpn.190013 2020
• Springer
  Khanna, M. M. & Cortese, M. J. (in press). General Psychology - Memory and Cognition: Topics, Methods, and Research-Based Strategies for Teaching Cognition. International Handbook of Psychology Learning and Teaching, D. Bernstein, J. Zumbach, S. Narciss, & G. Marsico (eds.) Springer.  2019
• Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma
  Mills, M. S., Embury*, C. M., Klanecky, A. K., Khanna, M. M., Calhoun, V. D., Stephen, J. M., Wang, Y-P., Wilson, T. W., & Badura-Brack, A. S. (2019). Traumatic Events are associated with diverse psychological symptoms in typically-developing children. Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma.DOI: 10.1007/s40653-019-00284-y. 
  DOI: 10.1007/s40653-019-00284-y 2019
• Memory
  Cortese, M. J., Khanna, M. M., & Von Nordheim*, D. (2019). Incidental memory for color word associates processed in color naming and word naming tasks: Is a blue ocean more memorable than a yellow one? Memory, 27(7), 924-930, DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2019.1607877 
  27 (7), p. 924 - 930 2019
• Cognition & Emotion
  Khanna, M. M., Badura-Brack, A. S., McDermott*, T. J., Shepherd*, A., Heinrichs-Graham*, E., Pine, D. S., Bar-Haim, Y., & Wilson, T. W. (2016). Attention training normalises combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder effects on emotional Stroop performance using lexically matched word lists. Cognition and Emotion, 30(8), 1521-152
  Volume 30, Issue 8, p. 1521-1528 2018
• Journal of Nursing Education
  Minnich, M., Chapple, H., Kirkpatrick, A., J., Whittaker, A. A., Goodman, J. T., Schoening, A. M., Khanna, M. M. (2018). Writing across the Curriculum:  Reliability Testing of a Standardized Rubric.
  57 (6), p. 366 - 370 2018
• Biological Psychology
  Badura-Brack, A. S., McDermott*, T. J., Heinrichs-Graham, E., Ryan, T. J., Khanna, M. M., Pine, D. S., Bar-Haim, Y., Wilson, T. W., (2018). Veterans with PTSD demonstrate amygdala hyperactivity while viewing threatening faces: A MEG study
  132, p. 228-232 2018
• Psychological Medicine
  Khanna, M. M., Badura-Brack, A. S., McDermott*, T. J., Embury*, C. M., Wiesman*, A. I., Shepherd*, A., Ryan*, T. J., Heinrichs-Graham*, E., Wilson, T. W. (2017). Veterans with PTSD exhibit altered emotional processing and attentional control during an emotional Stroop task. Psychological Medicine. 11, 2017-2027
  Volume 11, p. 2017 - 2027 2017
• Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
  Badura Brack, A.S., Heinrichs-Graham, E., Becker, K.M., McDermott*, T.J., Ryan, T.J., Khanna, M.M., Pine, D.S., Bar-Haim, Y., Wilson, T.W. (2017) Resting-state neurophysiological abnormalities in posttraumatic stress disorder: A Magnetoencephalography study. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 11, 1- 8. 
  Volume 11, p. 1 - 8 2017
• Cognitive
  McDermott*, T.J., Badura Brack, A.S., Becker, K.M., Ryan*, T.J., Bar-Haim, Y., Pine, D.S., Abend, R., Khanna, M.M., Heinrichs-Graham*, E., & Wilson, T.W. (2016). Attention training improves aberrant neural dynamics during working memory encoding in veterans with PTSD. Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Neuroscience
  Volume 16, Issue 6, , p. 1140-1149 2016
• Memory & Cognition
  Cortese, M. J., Khanna, M. M., Kopp*, R., Santo, J. B., Preston*, K. S., & Van Zuiden*, T. (2017). Participants shift response deadlines based on list difficulty during reading aloud megastudies. Memory & Cognition, 45(4), 589 – 599. 
  Volume 45, Issue 4, p. 589 - 599 2016
• Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology
  The Benefits of quizzing in content-focused versus skills-focused Courses.
  2(1), p. 87-97 2016
• Teaching of Psychology
  Khanna, Maya M. Ungraded pop quizzes: Test-enhanced learning without all the anxiety
  42, p. 174-178 2015
• Journal of Environmental Health
  Khanna, Maya M. Boys, Not Girls, Are Negatively Affected on Cognitive Tasks by Lead Exposure: A Pilot Study
  77, p. 72-77 2015
• Cognition and Emotion
  Khanna, M. M., Badura-Brack, A. S., McDermott, T. J., Shepherd, A., Heinrichs-Graham, E., Pine, D. S., Bar-Haim, Y., & Wilson, T. W. Attention training normalises combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder effects on emotional Stroop performance using lexically matched word lists. Cognition and Emotion. 2015
• Teaching of Psychology
  Ungraded Pop-Quizzes: Test-Enhanced Learning Without All the Anxiety
  42(2), p. 174-178 2015
• Teaching of Psychology
  Khanna, Maya M., Brack, Amy S. B., Finken, Laura L. Short- and Long-Term Effects of Cumulative Finals on Student Learning
  40, p. 175-182 2013
• Teaching of Psychology
  Khanna, M. M., Badura Brack, A., & Finken, L. L. Short- and long-term effects of cumulative finals on student learning.
  40(3), p. 175-182 2013
• Behavior Research Methods
  Schock, Jocelyn, Cortese, Michael J., Khanna, Maya M., Toppi, Sean Age of acquisition estimates for 3,000 disyllabic words
  44, p. 971-977 2012
• Behavior Research Methods
  Schock, Jocelyn, Cortese, Michael J., Khanna, Maya M. Imageability estimates for 3,000 disyllabic words
  44, p. 374-379 2012
• Behavior Research Methods
  Age of acquisition estimates for 3,000 disyllabic words.
  44(4), p. 971-977 2012
• Behavior Research Methods
  Khanna, M. M., Cortese, M. J. Age of acquisition estimates for 1,208 ambiguous and polysemous words
  43, p. 86-96 2011
• Behavior Research Methods
  Age of acquisition ratings for 1,208 ambiguous and polysemous words.
  43(1), p. 89-96 2011
• Scientific Studies of Reading
  Khanna, Maya M., Cortese, Michael J., Birchwood, Katharine S. Learning New Words Affects Nonword Pronunciation in Children
  14, p. 407-439 2010
• Memory
  Cortese, Michael J., Khanna, Maya M., Hacker, Sarah Recognition memory for 2,578 monosyllabic words
  18, p. 595-609 2010
• Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
  Khanna, Maya M., Boland, Julie E. Children's use of language context in lexical ambiguity resolution
  63, p. 160-193 2010
• Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
  Khanna, Maya M., Boland, J. E. The development of context-use for lexical ambiguity resolution.
  63, p. 160-193 2010
• Applied Cognitive Psychology
  Khanna, Maya M., Cortese, Michael J. Children and adults are differentially affected by presentation modality in the DRM paradigm
  23, p. 859-877 2009
• Behavior Research Methods
  Cortese, Michael J., Khanna, Maya M. Age of acquisition ratings for 3,000 monosyllabic words
  40, p. 791-794 2008
• Journal of Memory & Language
  Cortese, Michael J., Khanna, Maya M., White, Katherine K., Veljkovic, Ilija, Drumm, Geoffery The activation and monitoring of memories produced by words and pseudohomophones
  58, p. 393-414 2008
• Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
  Cortese, Michael J., Khanna, Maya M. Age of acquisition predicts naming and lexical-decision performance above and beyond 22 other predictor variables: An analysis of 2,342 words
  60, p. 1072-1082 2007
• Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
  Cortese, M.J., Watson, J.M., Khanna, M. M., & McCallion*, M. (2006). Revisiting distinctive perceptual processes in memory.
  13, p. 446-451 2006
• Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
  Bleckley, M. K., Durso, F. T., Crutchfield, J. M., Engle, R. W., & Khanna, M. M.  (2003). Individual differences in working memory capacity predict visual attention allocation.
  10, p. 884 - 889 2003

Publications

• Behavior Research Methods
  Imageability estimates for 3,000 disyllabic words.
  44, p. 374-379 2012

Presentations

• Self-Generated versus Provided Examples - Presented at the 2022 BISTOPS meeting. 2022
• Khanna, M. M., Guenther, C., & Fairchild, J. A. L. (2020, January). Are Freshmen ready to use research-based study strategies? Presented at the National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology 42nd annual meeting, St. Pete Beach, FL. 2020
• Khanna, M. M., Budesheim, T. L., Guenther, C. L., & Klanecky, A. K. (2019, January). Internships boost retrospective ratings of education satisfaction and relevance, especially for those entering the workforce. Presented at the National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology 41st annual meeting, St. Pete Beach, FL. 2019
• Khanna, M. M. (2018, November). Will vigorous exercise improve your verbal GRE score? Spoken presentation made at the department brown bag series. 2018
• Guenther, C. L., Khanna, M. M., Budesheim, T. L., & Klanecky, A. K. (2018, October). Internships boost retrospective ratings of education satisfaction and relevance, especially for those entering the workforce. Poster presented at the Creighton University Assessment Day. 2018
• Reyelts, C., Hwang, S., Khanna, M. M., Kratochvil, C., Vaughan, B., Knott, N., Coolidge, N., Wilson, T.W., & Blair, J. (2018, October). The utility of magneto-encephalography in measuring of irritability in pediatric populations. Poster presented at the Annual meeting of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Seattle, Washington, USA. 2018
• Khanna, M. M. (2018, July). Should we introduce research-based learning strategies to freshmen? Spoken presentation at the Biennial International Seminar on the Teaching of Psychological Science, Paris, France. 2018
• Mills MS, Embury CM, Warren DE, Robinson AM, Meredith CK, Manker BR, Khanna MM, Klanecky AK, Calhoun VD, Stephen JM, Wang YP, Wilson TW, & Badura-Brack AS. (2018). Amygdala, Hippocampal, and Parahippocampal Volumes Vary By Sex and Traumatic Life Events in Healthy Children. Poster presented at the Association for Psychological Science (APS) Annual Convention 2018, San Francisco, CA, USA. 2018
• Cortese, M. J., Khanna, M. M., and von Nordheim, D. (2018, May). Incidental Memory for Color Word Associations Processed in Color Naming and Word Naming Tasks: Is a Blue Sky More Memorable Than a Green One? Poster to be presented at the Association for Psychological Science (APS) Annual Convention 2018, San Francisco, CA, USA. 2018
• Yeh, M. E., & Khanna, M. M. (2018, April). The Effect of Moderate-to-high Intensity exercise on cognitive function. Presented at the annual Nebraska Academy of Science Meeting, Lincoln, NE. 2018
• Khanna, M. M. (2017, November). Closing the Loop: How cognitive science can guide pedagogical development and how applied classroom research can guide cognitive science theory. Presented at the Univ. of Nebraska at Omaha Topics in Education Seminar. 2017
• Begley, K., Khanna, M. M. , & Mayer, A. (2017, October). Fighting the cram and dump: Classroom strategies to improve student learning. Creighton office of Academic Excellence and Assessment lunch series. 2017
• Khanna, M. M. (2017, April). The neurocognitive effects of lead exposure on the developing brain. Invited presentation at the Omaha Earth Day March for Science. 2017
• Khanna, M. M. (2017, February). Emotional Stroop Task Performance in PTSD Reveals Alterations in Emotional Processing and Attention Allocation. Presented at the UNMC Mind and Brain Health Seminar Series. 2017
• Khanna, M. M. (2016). The psychological impact of lead exposure in North Omaha. Presented at South Omaha Community Forum on Lead at The Salvation Army Kroc Center. 2016
• Fernandes*, R.C., Toalson*, S.K., McDermott*, T.J., Khanna, M.M., Bar-Haim, Y., & Badura Brack, A.S. (2016). Attention Training Exerts Therapeutic Effects on PTSD Symptoms in Only Four Sessions. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science, Chicago, IL. 2016
• McDermott*, T.J., Badura Brack, A.S., Kemp, C.M., Khanna, M.M., Heinrichs-Graham*, E., & Wilson, T.W. (2016). Patterns of Neural Activation during Trauma Provocation in Combat Veterans with PTSD. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science, Chicago, IL. 2016
• McDermott*, T.J., Badura Brack, A.S., Merrill*, B.M., Khanna, M.M., Abend, R., Bar-Haim, Y., Heinrichs-Graham, E., & Wilson, T.W. (2016). Neurophysiological Correlates of Attention Bias Variability and PTSD: A Magnetoencephalography Study. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science, Chicago, IL. 2016
• Cortese, M. J., Khanna, M. M., Kopp*, R. J. B., & Preston*, K. S. (2015, November). Does blocking words by difficulty in a reading aloud task improve the predictive power of standard variables on performance measures 2015
• McDermott*, T. J., Badura-Brack, A. S., Khanna, M. M., Shepherd*, A. J., Heinrichs-Graham*, E., & Wislon, T. W., (2015, May). Magnetoencephalography reveals neurocognitive deficits during an emotional Stroop task in veterans with PTSD 2015
• Khanna, M. M. & Dickel, C. T. (2014, May) Neurological effects of lead exposure and a new cognitive intervention. Invited presentation at the Omaha Healthy Housing Summit. 2015
• Dickel, C.T., & Khanna, M.M. (March, 2014). "Lessons and Dilemmas: Implementing and Evaluating a College-Wide iPad Project." EDUCAUSE Connect, Chicago, Illinois, March 17-19, 2014. 2014
• Khanna, M. M., Badura Brack, A. S., and Finken, L. L. (2013, October). Cumulative Final Exams and Pop Quizzes: Practical ways to integrate repeated testing into courses. Presented at the Society for Teaching of Psychology, Best Practices: Research-Based Approaches for Teaching Psychology. 2013
• Khanna, M. M. (2013, October). Neurological effects of lead exposure and the educational implications. Invited presentation at the Lead & Healthy Housing Midwest Regional Conference. 2013
• Dickel, C.T., Khanna, M.M., Ishii-Jordan, S.R., & Turner, M. (2013, October). Preparing the faculty: Ongoing pedagogical issues in iPad-only university courses. Presentation made at the E-Learn World Conference on E-Learning , Las Vegas, Nevada. 2013
• Dickel, C.T., & Khanna, M.M. (April, 2013). "Evidence-Based Learning: An Interactive Case Study Evaluating the Impact of iPads on Student Learning. Sloan/Merlot 7th Annual Emerging Technologies for Online Learning International Symposium, Dallas, Texas, April 9-11, 2013. 2013
• Khanna, M. M. (2012, May). Cognitive impact of lead exposure on Omaha children. Invited presentation to the Omaha and Sarpy county public schools Early Childhood Network. 2012
• Khanna, M. M. (2012, March). Cognitive impact of lead exposure on Omaha children. Invited presentation to the Douglas County Health Department Board of Directors. 2012
• Centeno, L. & Khanna, M. M. (2011). The Impact of verb type on explicit and implicit memory. Presented at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the Psychonomics Society. Seattle, WA. 2011
• Khanna, M. M. & DiFolco, K. (2011). Improving childrens comprehension and memory: Reciprocal teaching vs. repeated testing. Presented at the 2011 Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association Meeting. Chicago, IL. 2011
• Centeno, L. & Khanna, M. M. (2011). The effects of verb complexity on reading comprehension. Presented at the 2011 Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association Meeting. Chicago, IL. 2011
• Khanna, M. M. (2010, December ). The Relationship Between Neurocognitive Development and Cognitive Functioning. Presented at The University of Vermont, Medical Center Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry Grand Rounds, Burlington, VT. 2010
• Khanna, M. M., Cortese, M. J., Murphy, B.* & Daniels, K*. (2010, November) Dominance and Subordination: Age of Acquisition Estimates for Ambiguous Word Senses. Presented at the 51st Annual Meeting of the Psychonomics Society. St. Louis, MO. 2010

Awards

• Recipient of the University Distinguished Educator in Teaching as Scholarship award
  Creighton University